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The Downside of Advertising & Marketing

Perhaps many of us have not taken the time to consider the effect all this advertising is having on us as a society. We are constantly bombarded with advertising and marketing. The effect can be comparable to the techniques employed during prolonged brain washing. But before we get off track, we should note there are no studies to suggest we are intentionally being brainwashed by advertising and mass marketing.

However unintentional, we cannot deny that our overall outlook is affected by what we hear and see, especially since we are constantly exposed to the stimuli. We should also distinguish the difference between advertising and marketing in this scenario. In advertising we are tempted. In marketing we are coerced. In advertising we only see the shiny, tasty, flashy surface. In marketing we see the less than desirable details, yet are coerced to accept the ploy.

We become aware of the distinction when advertising leads us to trust a name brand and marketing sells less of the product for a higher price. The promised low cost plan comes with an unreasonable surcharge concealed within the fine print. Unfortunately, these shady advertising/marketing tactics have become the norm. As a result, we are constantly made aware that we are at risk for being misled. Trust is rewarded with deceit. Do these feelings of mistrust carry over into our relationships with others as a result?

It would be difficult to deny that we are constantly on guard for “the catch” in our daily lives. As a result, we tend to look for “the catch” in our relationships as well. This sense of caution can make us instinctively mistrusting of new people. We question the hidden motives of those seeking to help us. This is an adverse societal reaction that can pose drastic wide-scale ramifications. When the same sneak tactics are used by the government against the people an indelible division is formed. If you don’t believe these tactics can pose a serious threat to your security, consider this. Recently, it was revealed that the government was collecting massive databases of your personal cell phone conversations without warrant. Knowing this, can you say that you trust your elected officials in government to have your best interest at heart?

Whether the impact can be considered a positive or a negative, the tactic of misleading the public either by corporations or governments seems to be a self correcting problem. In our personal relationships, when we are betrayed or misled, we typically respond by severing the relationship. As both corporations and even governments topple worldwide, perhaps those that remain should reevaluate their practices.